Evaluation of synergistic potential of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria with Rhizobium in mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)

A pot experiment was conducted in glass house at PAU research farm, Ludhiana, Punjab, India to evaluate effect of co-inoculation of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria with Rhizobium on mungbean productivity. Coinoculation showed a significant increase at 5% in nodule number, nodule dry weight, shoot and root dry and fresh weight, plant length, no. of pods, chlorophyll and leghaemoglobin content, over Rhizobium alone. Application of PGPRs R-4, R-6, S-5, S-9 and S-11 along with Rhizobium further enhanced the grain yield over Rhizobium inoculation alone. Rizobacterial isolates R-6 and S-11 co-inoculated with Rhizobium showed better result than other isolates.These plant beneficial rhizobacteria may decrease the global dependence on various hazardous agricultural chemicals used in mungbean.